The Kitchen. Gourmet, Chef’s, Designer. Open concept, flooded with light, tons of storage. The dream! We all want the dream kitchen, regardless of what our interior style is. But how to make the dream a reality when you have a budget to stick to? Early on in our home building journey, my husband and I sat down and decided exactly where we wanted to save, and where we were willing to spend. We both agreed the the kitchen (the heart of our home) needed to be functional, efficient, large and beautiful to work for our family – and planned accordingly.  Read on to see how we prioritized to bring our kitchen dreams to life!

Functional Must-haves

Everyone wants a big kitchen with “tons of storage.” But more is not always more. The TYPE of storage, surfaces and cabinets that we decided to utilize in our kitchen was more important to us than the volume of storage space. (Okay, the volume was important too!) We had a few “must-haves” that we outlined to our architect before he laid our kitchen out, which helped shape the functional direction and flow. The first – a large island with no sink, no range, no appliances whatsoever. Look, I’ve had a kitchen both ways, Personally, I prefer my island to be full of storage and have a clear surface to prep, serve and entertain.  Our second request was to incorporate room for a 48″ double oven / range – and our third was to include symmetry. The kitchen is open to the living room and dining room, and the first thing I will see every morning when I come out of the hallway off of my bedroom. There’s something about a balanced kitchen that just appeals to me. So after these pillars were in place and our layout was finalized, we met with the cabinet company (Local, Brian’s Cabinets). Outside of the aesthetics (finish, style, etc) we determined a lot of basic function during this meeting, and had yet another set of priorities. Maximize drawers as much as possible, incorporate slide-outs for trash and coffee bar, and (this one is not going to sit well with some of you!) eliminate traditional “uppers” and have cabinets sit directly on the countertops.  Hear me out. We are going to have a 9.5 ft island FULL of storage and counter space. We are going to have prep space on either side of the sink, and either side of the range/oven. We will have a tower of storage (including pull-out coffee bar) and two 84″ decorative storage shelves for smaller. pretty and everyday items like cups, plates and vases. It felt unnecessary and choppy to my eye to stack traditional uppers in every square inch of open wall space in this kitchen. Plus in my experience we usually just use this space to clutter up items when we have it. Again, aiming for symmetry and the type of storage that ACTUALLY works for us were main goals here. And goals I think we very much achieved in the final layout of this kitchen.

Setting The Mood

Early on in our dreaming and scheming phase, I showed my husband a picture of cabinets painted in Kingsport Grey by Benjamin Moore, thinking he would say (because he usually responds like this in a joking, tongue-in-cheek sort of way) “Whatever you want, you get.” You can imagine my surprise when he studied the photo and said, “I LIKE that!” Wow. Okay. So Kingsport Grey it is. This moody, earthy tone set the entire mood for our kitchen (and, if I’m being honest – our home!) We wanted a kitchen that felt warm and lived-in, with a modern/vintage touch. So we decided to run the painted cabinets around our kitchen perimeter, and balance with a large white oak island. We decided on flush inset drawers to add character and traditional charm to an otherwise angular and modern space. And what about contrast? I love to include high-contrast elements (especially in a kitchen!) to ensure things don’t fall flat. A designer black range and black and glass accent shelves were my dream from the start! As our build progressed and our budget took shape, my husband and I quickly realized that only one of these elements was an option for OUR kitchen – and the 48″ Hallman Range won out. Luckily, I found the most perfect 84″ black metal and glass shelves from CB2 at a much affordable price than the custom cabinets I had originally dreamed of. Get creative when you’re scheming up your dream kitchen – mixing custom elements with those you can buy ready-made can save you a ton on your budget and still help you achieve the look you’re going for.

These kitchen cabinets – painted “Kingsport Grey” by Benjamin Moore from @Kristenforgione of @thelifestyledco – inspired the original direction of our kitchen.

The Finishes & Pretty Details

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: lighting is the HARDEST part of design, and always my biggest headache. Lighting can completely shift the vibe of a space, and when you’re thinking about lighting for an entire house or open concept space holistically…. it really can be a headache. And there are so many options! When selecting lighting, I like to keep scale in mind, stick with one or two main finishes, and mix and match shade types and styles so everything isn’t too matchy-matchy. I knew I wanted something a little unconventional for over the large island – so opted for two side-by-side linear chandeliers from Lights.com instead of pendants. I am so excited about the statement these fixtures make – the scale, finish and quality are just beautiful, and they add a touch of traditional elegance to a very hardworking space. The sconces by the range were a no-brainer for me – I needed substantial lights that were still pretty narrow, and the metal shades will ensure they don’t get stained or dirty like linen ones would.  One of the biggest expenditures in this kitchen, however, is the quarts. We are going to need 2 full slabs just to cover the island and kitchen perimeter, which I’ve decided to complement with this beautiful warm, irregularly-shaped craquelle subway tile from Merola. Although I originally wanted a more show-y slab and execution, we again prioritized function and budget first for our family; having a slab with beautiful and bold movement that also has good color variation for the daily wear and smudges was a huge win. “Sable” from Pental did the trick! The counter stools I selected to contrast with the island – I knew I needed something wipeable (3 kids under 3 here I come!) and I love the modern take on a traditional Windsor chair. As for hardware – I’ll use clean, oversized black bars on the island drawers, and painted knobs that are seamless with the painted cabinets on the perimeter of the kitchen. See how the design will all tie together below!

Cabinets – Custom, White Oak with Acorn Stain; Painted “Kingsport Grey” by Benjamin Moore  |  Linear Chandelier  |  Sconces  |  Range  |  Glass Shelves  |  Backsplash Tile  |  Countertops, “Sable”  |  Floors  |  Counter Stools  |  Black Bar Pulls  |  Wood Knobs  |  Sink, Anthracite  |  Faucet

Designing a kitchen can be overwhelming. But if you prioritize what your functional needs are, where you’re willing to spend and where you’re willing to save, and trust your gut on the design decisions – It will all come together beautifully. I’m so excited about these kitchen plans, and truly can’t wait to wipe yogurt down off that island!